City of waterloo neighbourhoods: strong and connected.

Simple ways to connect with neighbours

The long summer days make for great opportunities to get outside and hang out with your neighbours.

Here are some ideas to make the most of the season:

Host a coffee social on your driveway. Set up a simple coffee or tea station, and invite your neighbours to come over with their own mug and lawn chair.
Host a welcome gathering for new neighbours. Invite new and longtime neighbours to a casual get-together with light refreshments to help everyone connect.
Have a picnic in a neighbourhood park. Bring a snack to share, pack a few games and enjoy the day outside.

Let's work together to make this happen! Apply for the mini grant to get up to $300 to bring one of these ideas to life.

Neighbours outside at a park with local food market set up.

Get involved

Spread kindness in your neighbourhood

In a world where you can be anything, be kind

Someone nominated their two kind neighbours with a thoughtful comment to share about them:

"These neighbours help build a strong neighbourhood! Their involvement and presence here make this a better place to live. They strike the right balance of respecting privacy while also keeping an eye on the neighbourhood and being there to lend a hand if it is ever needed."

Does this remind you of someone in your neighbourhood? Nominate them for the Neighbourhood Kindness award, and we'll send them a thank-you package.

More ways to get involved

Sign up to be an event helper at Waterloofest to help welcome new students to Waterloo, many of them could be your future neighbours!
Make a difference in your neighbourhood by becoming a Neighbourhood Connector!
Aug 16: Plan a day at the pool with your neighbour! There's a free swim at WMRC.

Smile corner

A neighbour shared how great it was to get together with their neighbours to create chalk art!

Submit a photo and a caption by replying to this email, and we may feature it in the Smile corner of our next newsletter!

Get inspired

Did you know you could get up to $7,500 for projects that bring neighbours together, help people feel welcome or improve shared spaces in your community?

After a few successful growing seasons, the Gatestone Community Garden decided to enhance their shared space with a new storage shed, using funding from the Neighbourhood Fund.

Now the gardeners have easy access to essential tools and supplies, helping the garden continue to grow as a welcoming place to connect and learn together.

People gathered outside on a driveway and the grass enjoying food and games.

In another community, neighbours used the mini grant to host a party with food, drinks and opportunities to get to know neighbours better.

It was such as success they can't wait to do it again!

Inspired to do something similar? Learn what kind of funding is available to you.

Get in the know

Have you noticed more trees in the neighbourhood?

We're planting 10,000 new trees in Waterloo! If you've seen new trees in your neighbourhood, you might be wondering...

Why are we planting?
How are the trees being cared for?
What types of trees are being planted?

All these questions can be answered on the 10,000 trees project page. Subscribe to the page to get the latest updates!

More things to know

Help make it easier for you and your neighbours to age well in your neighbourhood. Share your thoughts on our Age-friendly Action Plan.
Meet the local women who shaped modern scientific discovery at the City of Waterloo Museum's Iron Willed exhibit - you might even recognize a neighbour or two!
Waterloo Region has a long history of welcoming refugees and refugee claimants. Immigration Waterloo Region shares information on community support for refugees living in our region.

July diversity calendar

Source: Canadian Centre for Diversity & Inclusion's Diversity Ink Newsletter

Disability Pride Month

Tibetan Heritage Month (Ontario)

July 1: Canada Day

July 9: Nunavut Day

July 10: Martyrdom of the Báb

July 14: International Non-Binary People's Day

July 15: World Youth Skills Day

July 18: Chökhor Düchen

July 18: Nelson Mandela Day

July 22 (sundown) - July 23: Tisha B’Av

July 24: International Self-Care Day

July 28: World Hepatitis Day

July 28: Day of Commemoration of the Great Upheaval

July 29: Asalha Puja (Dharma Day)

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